The Ghost Who Can't Rest

Panic seized me, a cold fist clenching around my heart. Could this be the woman who was murdered in the warehouse?

The image of her lifeless body, her once vibrant face now a mask of horror, flashed through my mind.

She floated closer, her face a gruesome ruin, the details too horrific to bear. I averted my eyes, a wave of nausea washing over me.

"You must pay for not saving me..." she rasped, her voice filled with a chilling vengeance.

I forced myself to look into her hollowed eyes, the sockets empty yet somehow filled with a burning rage. "I will help you, I'll make sure the person who killed you goes to jail."

"Are you sure?" she asked, a flicker of doubt in her ghostly voice.

"Yes, I'm so sorry for not helping you sooner."

"They killed me because I rejected that man's advances," she sobbed, her ethereal hands clutching at her chest. "I was just a cashier... He dragged me into the warehouse... They humiliated me..."

I stood there, helpless and horrified, as the spectral woman sobbed uncontrollably. I couldn't change the past, but I could seek justice for her.

"Tell me who he is," I said, my voice a determined whisper. "Who was the man?"

"...I will lead you to him," she rasped, her voice filled with a chilling resolve. "He's a police officer's son, a sergeant."

A sergeant? The revelation sent a shiver down my spine. Would a powerful figure like that ever face justice?

"Follow me," the woman's voice echoed, a spectral wisp in the air.

I followed her, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination.

Wait... I'm going to skip class for this? I thought to myself. But my curiosity, and the promise of justice for the murdered woman, outweighed any hesitation.

At the school gate, the security guard looked at me with suspicion.

The ghostly woman glided right past him, unhindered by the physical world.

Of course, he can't see her... What should I say?

"Oh, Xian," the guard said, "where are you going? Is there something you need?"

"My father just arrived," I lied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I need to get something from him."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "Did you get permission from your teacher?"

"Y-Yeah," I stammered. "That's why I'm here."

He nodded reluctantly, allowing me to pass.

I stepped out into the bustling street, the noise and activity a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere inside the school. The ghostly woman floated ahead of me, her ethereal form weaving through the crowds unnoticed.

We walked in silence for a while, the woman occasionally glancing back to make sure I was still following.

Eventually, we reached a busy intersection, filled with honking cars and impatient pedestrians. The woman stopped abruptly, her gaze fixed on a sleek, black car parked across the street.

"He's in there," she whispered, her voice filled with a chilling hatred. "The one who killed me."

I peered into the car, my heart pounding in my chest. A man in a police uniform sat in the driver's seat, his face obscured by the shadows. Even from this distance, I could sense a dark aura emanating from him, a palpable evil that sent shivers down my spine.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

The woman turned to me, her eyes glowing with an eerie light. "We're going to expose him," she said, her voice filled with a fierce determination. "We're going to make him pay for what he did to me."

A chill ran down my spine as I realized the implications of the woman's words. "So that man... he's a police officer too?"

The woman nodded, her voice trembling. "H-He... he used his gun. He shot me in the chest..."

As she spoke, the spectral image of her wound flickered into view, a gaping hole in her chest where her heart should have been.

"That's brutal..." I murmured, a wave of anger and disgust washing over me. "Gun violence... We need to find out his name, but we can't be hasty."

The woman nodded in agreement.

I approached the police officer, my mind racing with a plan. "Excuse me, officer," I began, trying to sound casual. "I was wondering about getting a driver's license..."

He looked at me with a warm smile, his demeanor professional and approachable. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Um..." I hesitated, trying to formulate a question that would lead me to the information I needed. "I was wondering... how much would it cost to get a license through you?"

His smile turned sly. "Oh, I could get you a good deal," he said, leaning closer. "Around... 500k."

I nodded, feigning interest. "If I decide to go through with it, can I contact you directly?"

He nodded again, handing me a business card. "Of course. Here's my number."

I took the card, my eyes scanning the information. "Asmar," I read aloud. A surge of adrenaline coursed through me. I had a name, a lead.

The ghostly woman beside me nodded silently, her eyes burning with a cold fury. It was time to bring justice to her killer.

"So... what do you think?" Asmar asked, a predatory glint in his eyes.

"I'll call you when I have the money," I replied, forcing a smile.

He nodded. "Don't hesitate."

I walked away from the car, my heart pounding. At least I had his name. It had been surprisingly easy.

"Ughhh, just seeing his face makes me want to kill him..." her voice rasped in my ear.

I stopped and turned to her. "What's your name?" I asked gently.

"... Hana."

I nodded. "Hana, please try to stay calm. I promise I'll make sure justice is served."

She nodded hesitantly, her ethereal form flickering with residual anger.

Hwoooong! The familiar sound of the Harbinger's arrival filled the air.

My Harbinger materialized before me. "So... you're going to help Hana?" it asked, its voice a low rumble.

< Chapter 018 > Fin.